Oven door construction



' 15, 1933 c. H. HOFFSTET'TER ET AL 1,922,587

OVEN DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed May 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'IG.1

mvsmon ['HRL H- HOF'FFTETTER ROBERT 7 HUFFSTETTER ATTORNEY Aug. 15, 1933.

c. H. HOFFSTETTER El AL OVEN DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed May 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (REL H'HGF'F'JTETTER R03ERT' r'warfrirrrrzw ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNITED STATES OVEN DOOR CONSTRUCTION Carl H. Hoffstett-er and Robert F. Hoffstetter, Erie, Pa.

Application May 20, 1932. Serial No. 612,552

13 Claims.

Our invention relates to oven doors and more particularly to such doors having coil spring tensioning means for assisting in the proper functioning of the door during opening and closing movements thereof. Heretofore considerable trouble has been experienced due to the deterioration and necessary replacement of the coil springs commonly employed for this purpose. The springs are usually located in the channel construction of the door frame, or secured to the inside or inner face of the door, and being constantly subjected to stresses while under the intense heat within the oven, require frequent replacement. In the first instance repairs to the spring could only be effected by removing the entire door frame at considerable inconvenience and expense. In the case of the second construction just referred to, due to the common practice of providing the body of oven doors with a highly finished porcelain enamel front surface which frequently becomes damaged, it is desirable that the door be readily removablefor repair purposes and also that its removal will not interfere with the proper functioning of the oven. Therefore it has been found impracticable to mount the coiled tension spring on the door due to the injurious strains on this highly finished part incident to functioning of the spring. It has also been found that with such construction the door could not be removed for repair purposes without interference with normal use of the oven.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a door construction in which the highly finished porcelain door is entirely free from strain incident to the functioning of the spring tensioning means.

Another object of the invention is to mount the coiled tension spring independently of the highly 4G finished oven door part so that the latter may be removed without interfering with the normal functioning of the spring and uninterrupted use of the oven.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent as the specification is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating an embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of the oven door and to frame partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 -3 of Fig ure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail of the handle connection;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the spring adjusting and supporting screw;

Figure 6 is a plan elevation of the spring with the adjusting nut clamped therein;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the spring as shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 88 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 with the door in open position and showing same in dotted lines in half-open position; and

Figure 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8, with a part removed.

Figure 11 is a detail view of the interlocking of the lining with the door.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 denotes the main front frame of the range having the usual door opening for a sheet metal oven door 2, which is pivotally connected to the frame by means of a flexible rod 3. The door comprises a body portion 4 having inwardly bent side, top and bottom flanges 5 and a highly finished porcelain enameled face 25. Rod 3 extends at its ends through openings 6 formed in the side flanges of the door body adjacent its lower end and thence into openings 7 in the door frame.

A sheet metal member 8 normally serves the double purpose of a lining member for the door body and, when the latter is removed for re-enameling or other repairs, as a closure for the oven, as will be presently undersood. Lining member 8 is formed with side, top and bottom flanges 9, similar to the flanges 5 and adapted to telescope therein when the door body 2 and lining 8 are in assembled position. Bolts 10 connect the two members together and also serve to secure handle 11 in place. The lower end of the side flanges 9 of member 8 are cut away as at 12 to provide clearance for the rod 3 about which the door body pivots, and to permit independent movement of the lining member 8 with respect to the door body. A pair of elongated metal strips 13 of approximately the same width as the side flanges 9, and riveted to said flanges, have integral curved members 14 which project rearwardly through slots 15 in the door frame.

The door tensioning means includes a pair of coil springs 16 secured at their upper ends to K the top flange of the lining-member 8 by supporting and adjusting screws 17, the lower ends of the springs passing through elongated openings 22 in the lining member and thence into pockets or recesses 18 formed in the frame 1 where they no are secured to pins 19, Screws 1'! threadedly engage nuts 20, preferably positioned between the two topmost convolutions of the coil springs, thus providing means for conveniently adjusting the tension of the springs. For this purpose small openings 21 are formed in the top flange of door body 4 in 'alinement with the screws through which a screw driver may be inserted. As the nuts 20 are fixed against rotary movement it will be obvious that the tension of the springs can be increased or decreased by rotating the screws 17 in the proper direction.

When the oven door is moved to full open position, as illustrated in full lines Figure 9,'the hooked ends 22 of members 14 engage the frame 1 and prevent further outward mov'ement. In this position the lower ends of the distended springs 16 lie in channels 23 formed in the lower corners of the rear face of the lining member, in allnement with the elongated openings 22 previously referred to. This permits of the lower ends of the springs being maintained in approximately straight position in the grooves or channels 23, and insures a more uniform contact with pins 19 than could otherwise be attained.

While the bolts 10 are generally deemed sufficient for connecting the door body to the lining member, in some instances it is desirable to form the bottom flanges of the door body and lining member with interlocking projections and slots 26 and 27 respectively.

In the event it becomes necessary to remove the door body for enameling or other purposes, flexible rod 3 is pulled out of its pivot openings in the side flanges of the door body and door frame respectively, in a manner well known to workers in this art. The top of the door body is then pried or pulled away from the top of the lining member, and the lining member is then pulled slightly in an upwardly direction against the tension of the springs 16 to release the projections 26 from slots 27.

It is to be noted that removal of the door body can be readily effected by afew simple operations, and what is very important, without disturbing the tension springs and without the necessity of removing the lining member 8. The latter will be held in place to serve as a closure for the'oven opening under tension of springs 16, with freedom for pivotal movement. When one of the springs 16 becomes broken or worn it can be readily removed for repair or replacement after first removing the door body in the manner just described.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In combination with'an oven door-frame, a readily removable door body pivotally mounted on said frame and adapted to be opened outwardly and downwardly, a lining for said door body, and means attached to the upper portion of said lining for drawing said lining toward said frame and holding said lining in contact with said frame when the door body is removed.

2. In combination with an oven door-frame, a readily removable door body pivotally mounted on said frame and adapted to be opened outwardly, and downwardly, a lining for said door body, and means attached to said lining and said doorframe and arranged between said door body and lining for holding said lining for pivotal movement on said frame when said door body is removed.

3. In combination with an oven door-frame, a removable door body pivotally mounted on said frame and adapted to open outwardly and downwardly, a removable lining for said door body, and a coiled tension spring arranged between said door body and lining and secured to said lining and interconnected with said door frame, said spring securing said lining to said frame when said door bodyis removed.

4. In combination with an ovendoor-frame, a door body pivotally mounted on said frame and adapted to open outwardly and downwardly, a removable flanged lining for said door body, and a coiled tension spring arranged between said door body and lining and secured to the-flange of said lining and interconnected with said door frame.

5. In combination with an oven door-frame, a door body pivotally mounted on said frame, a removable flanged lining for said door body, and a coiled tension spring longitudinally adjustably connected to the top flange ofusaid lining and interconnected with said door frame, said lining and spring being disconnectible from said frame.

6. In combination with an oven door-frame, a door body pivotally mounted on said frame, a removable lining for said door body supported thereby, a spring intermediate said lining and door body connected to said lining having an elongated yielding end portion extending through said lining for connection of said spring with said frame, a slot and guide way in the wall of said lining for said end portion and means at the end of said end portion tov connect same with said frame.

'7. In combination with an oven door-frame, a door body pivotally mounted on said frame, a removable flanged lining for said door, a coiled tension spring between said door body and lining arranged close to one flange of said lining and attached to the adjoining flange, an elongated integral extension on one end of said spring, guided in an angular corner of said lining and means at the end of said extension to connect same with said frame- 8. In combination with an oven door-frame, a door body pivotally mounted on said frame, a lining for said door body and spring means connected to said lining and said frame for independently and angularly shiftably securing said lining to said frame in frictional contact therewith, said door body and said lining being each independently disconnectible from said frame.

9. In the structure as described in claim 11, a frame provided with vertical slots and stiffening and stopping means on said lining extending through said slots, said means including a hook shaped extension adapted to engage said frame adjacent said slots for limiting the downward movement of said lining.

10. In combination with an oven door-frame, a flanged door body pivotally mounted on said frame, a lining for said door body angularly shiftably secured to said frame including means arranged between said door body and lining to force said lining in frictional contact with said frame, means for pivotally and shiftably connecting one end of said door body with said lining, and independent means for securely fastening said lining to said door body.

11. In combination with an oven door-frame, a flanged door body having perforations in its top flange pivotally mounted on said frame, a flanged lining telescoped into said flanged door body, a coiled tension spring arranged between said door body and lining having one end attached to said frame and rotatable means ex tending through and swiveled within the top flange of said lining and threadedly connected with the other end of said spring for adjusting the tension of said spring, the perforations in the top flange of said door body being in alignment with said rotatable means to permit adjustment of the spring tension without separating said door body and lining.

12. In combination with an oven door-frame, having rearwardly extending pockets therein at opposite sides thereof, a door body pivotally mounted on said frame, a readily removable flanged lining for said door body, coiled tension springs adjustably secured to the top flange of said lining, said springs having hook shaped in-- tegral extensions, and pins extending through opposite walls of said pockets for connecting said springs with said frame. v

13. In combination with an oven door-frame, a flanged door body, a rod supported in said frame and extended through the flange of said door for pivotally connecting said door body to said frame, a flanged lining for saiddoor body telescoped into said flanged door body, a cut out portion in the flange of said lining at the point of pivotal support of said door body to permit independent removal of said lining and of said door body, coiled tension springs secured to the top flange of said lining and to said frame for supporting said "lining independently of said door body, and independent means interconnecting said lining and door body.

CARL H. HOFFSTEI'I'ER. ROBERT F. HOFFSTETTER. 

